1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the field of communications, and in particular, to a troubleshooting interface for client-routed toll free telephone calls in a telephone communication system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Modern telephone communications systems commonly offer a toll-free call service. In a toll-free telephone call, the call recipient pays for the call, and not the caller. Toll-free call services are therefore widely used by businesses in order to encourage calls from customers and potential customers.
Another popular use for toll-free calls are customer service functions, wherein customers can use a toll-free number to obtain information, register complaints, apply for services, make purchases, etc. A large toll-free service client may possess multiple toll-free call centers, and may desire the capability to route incoming toll-free calls to specific call center locations. This may include routing such traffic in order to manage traffic flow and keep a call center from being overloaded. This may also include routing to avoid traffic problems due to transient conditions, such as telephone network problems, differences in hours between locations, to handle special events such as sales promotions, to accommodate service downtime requirements, etc.
Toll-free calls are typically routed by a service control point (SCP). The SCP is in communication with a telephone communication network and a remote processor (RP). The RP provides routing information to the SCP, including real-time routing information and routing changes. When routing is to be changed, routing data stored in the RP may be modified in order to affect the change. In operation, the SCP receives a called telephone number (i.e., a 1-800 telephone number), determines the destination using the RP (the destination is not specified by the dialed telephone number in a 1-800 call), and determines the routing of the telephone call through the telephone lines and switches of the telephone communications system.
A prior art approach to routing has been to allow toll-free service clients to route their own incoming traffic. This allows the client to be responsive to traffic, local conditions, network problems, etc. The routing control extends limited client access to the RP. The RP therefore can be employed by a toll-free service client to set routing conditions as desired. However, the toll-free service client is generally given only limited access to the remote processor, and is generally not allowed to perform operations that affect the system as a whole (as opposed to affecting just the client's routing operations), or are complex, such as troubleshooting problems that occur during routing of a toll-free call.
Although employees of a toll-free service client may be able to specify message routing, another important area is troubleshooting and fixing problems that may occur in routing. When an operational routing problem occurs, the toll-free service client according to the prior art may have to call a customer service department, wade through an automated telephone menu and/or wait in a voice queue, explain the problem to a customer service representative, and wait for the customer service representative to identify and fix the problem. This process is slow and frustrating to the client, and further incurs cost to the client due to lost time. Another drawback of this prior art approach is that many problems in computerized systems can be solved by a small set of simple troubleshooting processes, without any need for elaborate diagnostics or elaborate solutions. For example, cycling power to a computerized device will usually reset internal values and eliminate an operational problem. This drawback is compounded in that the customer service representative is not only generally busy and not immediately available, but if required to fix elementary problems, the customer service representative therefore has less time to spend on truly serious problems where the customer service representative is most needed.